


Real Steel

by lachatblanche



Category: X-Men (Movies), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) - Fandom, X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Alternate Universe - Future, M/M, Minor Charles/Erik, Real Steel AU, Robots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-29
Updated: 2015-05-29
Packaged: 2018-04-01 18:28:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4030153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lachatblanche/pseuds/lachatblanche
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Logan arrives on Charles's doorstep in search of help that only Charles, a former genius in the field of robotics, can provide. </p>
<p>He does not expect the sight that awaits him when they finally meet again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Real Steel

**Author's Note:**

> A Real Steel AU set in a world where robot fights are a huge industry and are considered the most popular form of entertainment.

It was an early afternoon in spring when Logan set foot once again inside the Xavier mansion. 

Unsurprisingly, his visit did not get off to a good start. It wasn’t as if Logan had been expecting a warm welcome in the first place, but the reception that he received had been less than enthusiastic even by his standards. It had taken a great deal of patience and coaxing to get Charles to open the front door to him; it had taken even more to get him to _keep_ the door open long enough for Logan to slip inside.

And then, after several years apart with no communication on either side, he finally found himself standing face-to-face with Charles Xavier, the man upon whom all his hopes now rested.

Charles stood firmly in the middle of the front hall, his arms folded over his chest. It had been well over two years since they had last seen each other by Logan’s count – and those two years had changed Charles considerably, if the long hair and scraggly beard were any indication. The Charles that Logan had known had always taken pride in his appearance, and he had always been extremely particular about the condition of his hair. Now, however, he had bags under his red-rimmed and bloodshot eyes, his hair was matted and unkempt, and he wore an old and ragged robe over a pair of tattered pyjamas.

He looked like shit. 

‘Why are you here, Logan?’ Charles’s voice was cold and distant, in a way the Charles of two years ago had never been.

Logan dragged his eyes away from Charles’s slovenly appearance and slowly raised his head to meet his gaze. ‘Nice to see you too, Chuck.’ he drawled, deliberately hiding all traces of his concern and instead mirroring Charles’s pose by crossing his arms over his chest. ‘And I’ve been good too, in case you were wondering.’

Charles’s lips thinned. ‘I wasn’t,’ he said, his tone clipped. ‘Believe me.’ He stood there staring at Logan for a moment, his gaze keen and penetrating despite the redness of his eyes. When Logan showed no indication of speaking, he unfolded his arms and dropped them down to his sides. ‘I asked you a question, Logan,’ he said coldly. ‘And I’m only going to ask you it once more. _Why are you here?_ ’

Logan pursed his lips and then shrugged, looking completely unfazed by Charles’s cold demeanour. ‘Do you really need to ask?’ he said lightly, casting his eyes around the hall. His gaze lingered on the empty bottles littered across the room and he frowned. ‘I kinda thought that it was obvious.’ When Charles didn’t react, Logan turned to him and sighed. ‘You know why I am here, Charles.’

Charles immediately let out a noise of derision. ‘No!’ he said, shaking his head grimly. ‘I really, _really_ don’t. I have absolutely no idea what you are doing here.’ He then jerked his head towards the slightly rusty robot that was standing motionlessly in the hallway like one of the numerous hollow suits of armour that lined the corridors of the second floor. ‘And I have even _less_ of a clue why _that_ tin can is in here with you!’

Logan sighed. ‘That _tin can_ is my ‘bot,’ he said patiently.

‘Well I had rather figured that bit out,’ Charles’s voice fairly dripped with sarcasm. ‘What I have not figured out, however, is what the hell it is doing in _my_ bloody hallway!’

Logan shrugged. ‘I just thought that maybe you would like to meet him,’ he said as casually as he could manage. He turned and nodded at the robot. ‘His name’s Wolverine.’

Charles eyebrows travelled upwards. He stared at Logan, his face a picture of scornful disbelief, before he abruptly twisted around to face the robot. He ran his eyes up and down the ‘bot in assessment and then let out a snort. ‘Well. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Wolverine,’ he said mockingly, directing his words to the big metal face before dipping into a surprisingly elegant bow that was only slightly hampered by the ratty bathrobe that he was wearing. He then straightened up sharply and turned to Logan. ‘There,’ he said flatly. ‘I’ve met him. Now fuck off.’

Logan held back a sigh. ‘Come on, Charles,’ he said tiredly. ‘Just hear me out.’

‘No thank you.’ Charles’s tone had regained its iciness. ‘I am afraid that I am rather busy right now.’

‘Doing _what_?’ Logan retorted before he could stop himself, his tone challenging. At Charles’s glare, however, he sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. ‘Look – just give me a minute here, Charles. I know you’re interested. You said it yourself – you want to know why I’m here.’

‘It was a rhetorical question,’ Charles said flatly, looking deeply unimpressed. ‘I know I said “ _what are you doing here_ ” but what I really meant was “ _get the fuck out of my house_ ”.’

‘Sure, you’d like me to think that,’ Logan nodded, pushing on determinedly. ‘But I’ve seen that look on your face before, bub. I _know_ you’re intrigued.’

Charles gave him a thin smile. ‘You are mistaken,’ he said coolly. ‘I have no interest whatsoever in either you _or_ your robot.’

Logan had to smirk at that. ‘Sure you do,’ he said with a lazy smile, unable to help himself. He then turned his body towards the robot even as he arched an eyebrow at Charles. ‘Why don’t you go over and say hello? Properly this time. Get to know him a little?’ A sly smirk slid onto his face. ‘I know you’re just about dying to _touch_.’

Charles glared at him. ‘Oh don’t even start,’ he muttered.

‘Hey, you were the one who always went on about giving the ‘bots the _personal touch_ , Chuck,’ Logan said, raising his hands in the air even whilst looking thoroughly unapologetic. ‘They’re your words, not mine. All I’m doing is repeating them.’

‘I know exactly what you’re doing,’ Charles snarled, clearly not amused. ‘And he’s _your_ robot. _You_ give him the personal touch.’

Logan sighed, deflating at Charles’s frostiness. ‘Come on, Charles,’ he coaxed. ‘Don’t be like that.’ He hesitated. ‘I _need_ you.’ 

Charles paused at that and turned to face him. ‘Oh,’ he said, his eyebrows high on his face, ‘ _Do_ you? Do you really?’

‘You know I do,’ Logan said simply, bringing his eyes up to meet Charles’s. After a moment, however, he looked away again, his brow creased. ‘No one else knows ‘bot mechanics like you do,’ he murmured, deliberately not meeting Charles’s gaze. 

At that Charles huffed out a dry laugh and his mouth twisted into a humourless grin. ‘Ah,’ he said, and his tone was almost bitter. ‘Of course. _That’s_ the only reason why you’re here.’

Logan grimaced. ‘I didn’t—’

‘But you know what?’ Charles went on before Logan could get any further. ‘You’re out of luck there too, my friend. You see, I don’t work with robots any more. I stopped doing that a long time ago. No,’ Charles continued, shaking his head. ‘My days of playing with toys are over. Nowadays I have a different sort of specialty.’ He wandered over to the nearest table and picked up the half-empty bottle of wine that was standing on top of it. ‘The drinkable kind,’ he clarified for Logan’s benefit, raising the bottle to him in a mockery of a salute before bringing the neck to his lips and taking a deep swallow.

Logan followed the bottle with narrowed eyes. ‘So I see,’ he said neutrally. ‘Fulfilling sort of work, is it?’

‘It has its moments,’ Charles admitted with a limp shrug. ‘Granted, it’s not as stimulating as revolutionising robotic technology, but it does the job.’

‘The job?’ Logan raised his eyebrows at that. ‘And what job is that? And don’t go telling me that it makes you happy, bub, because the unwashed hippie look that you’re going for right now? It doesn’t exactly scream “happy”.’

‘As if you can talk,’ Charles retorted. He glared resentfully at Logan’s shirt. ‘You look like a fucking lumberjack.’

‘Maybe so,’ Logan shrugged. ‘But then I’ve _always_ looked like a fucking lumberjack.’

They glared at each other.

Charles was the first to look away. ‘Look,’ he sighed, rubbing at his face, ‘This is clearly getting us nowhere—’

‘Because you won’t listen!’ Logan interrupted, feeling exasperated. ‘You’re not listening to a damn thing I have to say.’

Charles scowled down at the floor. After a moment he raised his head and let out a huff. ‘Alright then.’ He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the table that he had set the wine bottle down on. ‘Let me hear it. I’m listening now. What is it that you want from me?’

Logan studied him for a moment. When it looked like Charles really did intend to listen, he nodded and then took deep breath. ‘Right,’ he said firmly, straightening his back. ‘What I want is this. I want you to stop sulking. I want you to stop being such a miserable little shit and get your head out of the goddamn bottle. And I want _you_ —’ he pointed at Charles, ‘to fix _him_ —’ he gestured at the robot, Wolverine, which was standing motionlessly behind him, ‘—and get him working as good as new. No, scratch that – _better_ than new.’

Charles’s expression had soured after Logan’s first two demands, but he quickly waved his irritation off and instead focused his final stipulation. ‘I see,’ he said slowly, his tone thoughtful. ‘And what, if you don’t mind me asking, do you intend to do with – er – _Wolverine_ after that? If I did fix him, that is?’

Logan had been waiting for this question. He forced himself to remain deliberately cool and casual as he brought his shoulders up and shrugged. ‘Nothing much,’ he said easily, pretending to be unfazed. ‘Just enter him into the GRSC and win the championship. That’s about it.’

Charles stared at him.

Logan counted to three. Then—

‘Are you bloody insane? You want to enter him into the _Genosha Real Steel Championship_? And you think you can _win_?’ 

‘Yeah,’ Logan nodded, hands in his pockets. ‘That’s about the sum of it, yeah.’

Charles let out a startled laugh and shook his head. ‘No. No. I am not helping you with this, Logan. No way. You’re out of your bloody mind.’

‘Why?’ Logan demanded immediately. ‘Because I want to enter this thing?’

‘No,’ Charles snapped. ‘Because you think you can _win_ it.’

They both stared at each other for a moment, their shoulders tense.

‘Your robot is a pile of scrap metal, Logan,’ Charles said at last, his voice low. He sounded almost apologetic. ‘You look like you got him out of a junk yard.’ He then snorted and let out a humourless laugh. ‘Knowing you, you probably _did_.’

Logan didn’t deny it.

Charles sighed and shook his head. ‘I’m sorry Logan,’ he said, ‘but it’s useless. I won’t do it. I – I’m sorry.’

‘Wolverine can win,’ Logan said quietly, his eyes not moving away from Charles’s face. ‘He’s got potential, Chuck. More than you know.’

‘Then you’ll just have to unearth it all by yourself,’ Charles said, shaking his head again. ‘I’m sorry, Logan, but I can’t help you. You – you need to do this on your own.’

There was a moment of silence.

‘You don’t think I’ve tried?’ Logan’s voice was quiet, barely a murmur, but it sounded loud in the confines of the hall. 

Charles frowned and turned to look at him. He cocked his head to the side. ‘What?’

‘I said I tried already,’ Logan growled, scowling down at the floor. ‘But there’s something wrong. Wolverine’s not listening to me. Nothing works. I’ve tried everyone else I can think of, but no one knows what’s wrong. Charles – you’re the only one who can help me with him.’

Charles’s eyebrows had risen high on his forehead. ‘ _Everyone_ , huh?’ he sounded highly sceptical.

‘Yeah, everyone. Where do you think I’ve been all this time, Charles?’ Logan asked. He sounded tired. ‘What do you think I’ve been doing for the last couple of years?’

‘I don’t know,’ Charles’s face was studiously blank. ‘Building robots with Kayla in the Canadian wilderness, I assume.’

Logan winced. 

Charles’s jaw tightened. ‘Oh you have got to be kidding me,’ he snarled, turning around and heading over to the table where he had left his wine bottle.

‘Hey, you don’t get to judge,’ Logan growled, his hands curling into fists. ‘You were with goddamn _Lehnsherr_ , what was I supposed to do? Stick around and wait for him to screw you over?’

Charles’s jaw tightened and he looked away.

Logan sighed and he rubbed at his face, regretting his words. ‘Look, Chuck,’ he said in a gentler tone. ‘I know that things didn’t go well for you. I know that I should have been around to help you through it.’ He took a deep breath. ‘And I know that it must’ve hurt a hell of a lot when Lehnsherr ran off and took—’

‘ _Stole_ , Logan. He _stole_ Raven.’

‘Yeah, sure, I know. I know that, Chuck. I’m sorry.’

‘Five years we spent working on her,’ Charles gritted out, his eyes going distant and his face creasing in pain. ‘Five years where we built her from scratch, he and I. Raven was unique. She had a shadow function, voice-recognition, speed, strength, agility and a chameleon function that _I_ created for her with _my own two hands_.’ He shook his head, a bitter expression crossing his face. ‘And after all that, when she was finished and ready to shine, he _stole_ her from me.’ He turned his face away, pained. ‘He took her and he vanished and I haven’t heard from him since.’ He angrily pushed his hair away from his face with a shaking hand. ‘God knows what he’s been doing with her.’

‘Hmm,’ Logan’s face was inscrutable as he watched Charles.

‘But you see why I can’t help you now, don’t you?’ Charles demanded, turning to him. ‘After that – after what he did? I can’t work on another robot again, Logan. I put too much of myself into Raven and now she’s gone, and I – I can’t. I can’t do it again.’

‘And I’m not asking you to,’ Logan said gently, reaching out to touch Charles’s arm. ‘What happened with Lehnsherr is something that will never happen again, Charles. Not with me. You know that.’

Charles lowered his eyes to where Logan’s fingers were touching his arm. ‘Yes, well,’ he smiled wryly and then gently extricated himself from Logan’s grasp. ‘I rather think my sense of judgement in such matters is a little faulty.’ He glanced at Logan from out of the corner of his eyes. ‘I didn’t think that _Erik_ would do that to me, either.’

‘Didn’t you?’ Logan scoffed before he could stop himself. ‘Anybody could see that guy was an asshole who was just out for himself.’ He paused as Charles glared at him. ‘Okay, so maybe not _anybody_. Just – people not using rose-tinted lenses where he was concerned.’

‘Then no wonder you weren’t fooled,’ Charles muttered. ‘Your lenses were so dark they were practically black.’

‘What can I say?’ Logan shrugged. ‘Guy was an asshole. It was kinda obvious if you knew what to look for.’

There was a pause.

Charles shook his head. ‘It really doesn’t matter now,’ he said dully, turning away and not meeting Logan’s eyes. ‘Things have changed. It’s actually rather irrelevant, whether I trust you or not.’ He scrubbed his hand through his hair and sighed. ‘There’s no point in you being here,’ he said tiredly. ‘I can’t help you. I can’t do what you want.’ 

Logan opened his mouth to protest but Charles was already shaking his head wearily. ‘It’s not what you think,’ he said quietly. ‘It’s more than that. I’m tired of robotics, Logan,’ he said, lifting his gaze so that their eyes met. ‘I’m tired of _robots_ , full stop. I’m sick and tired of them and I want nothing to do with them ever again.’

Logan gritted his teeth, unable to keep himself from feeling frustrated. He forced himself to take a deep breath before calmly turning to Charles with a raised eyebrow. ‘Not sure I believe that, bub,’ he said casually, scratching his at his chin. He smiled wryly when Charles turned to him with a startled expression. ‘You’re forgetting that I _know_ you, Charles.’

‘You mean _knew_ ,’ Charles immediately corrected him. ‘You _knew_ me. Once.’ His expression turned grim. ‘That was a long time ago.’

‘Not _that_ long ago,’ Logan said mildly. ‘Besides, some things don’t change just because they happened a long time ago.’

Their eyes met.

Charles was the first to look away. ‘Give me one good reason why I should do this for you,’ he said quietly, turning to look at the robot Wolverine and carefully avoiding Logan’s gaze.

‘Just the one?’ Logan asked, raising an eyebrow.

‘Just the one,’ Charles agreed. ‘One reason why I should help you.’

‘That’s easy.’ Logan said, and looked Charles straight in the eye. ‘Because you need this as much as I do.’

Charles blinked up at him, momentarily taken aback. It was a minute before he found his voice. ‘I _need_ this?’ he repeated disbelievingly. ‘You think I need this? You must be joking!’ He shook his head, incredulous. ‘Maybe you’ve forgotten this, Logan, but I _have_ a home. I _have_ money. I don’t _need_ anything. I don’t need this and I don’t need _you_.’

Logan sighed. ‘That’s not what I meant, Charles.’

‘I don’t care what you meant.’ Charles shook his head, suddenly sounding tired. ‘Just – just leave me alone, Logan.’

‘No,’ Logan folded his arms over his chest. ‘I’m not doing that.’

‘For fuck’s sake, why?’ Charles demanded, his mouth screwed up bitterly. ‘Why can’t you just sod off and leave me alone? You didn’t have a problem doing that before.’

Logan ignored the obvious – and untruthful – dig. ‘Because I need you,’ he said simply, his words brutally honest. ‘I can’t just leave here because I need you with me on this.’

Charles let out a brittle laugh at that. ‘You don’t,’ he said tightly. ‘You don’t need me. No one does.’ 

Logan frowned. ‘You’re being a bit dramatic about this whole thing, ain’t you, Chuck?’

‘All I want is to be left alone,’ Charles bit out stubbornly, turning away and blindly reaching for the nearby wine bottle on the table. Before he could lay hands on it, however, Logan snatched it from the table and moved it away, his expression dark. Charles faltered for a moment, his arm caught in an aborted movement towards the bottle, before he brought it up and ran a shaky hand through his hair. ‘Look, I – you want a robot, right? Then fine, I’ll _buy_ you a bloody robot. Just – just leave me alone, okay?’

‘No,’ Logan said firmly. ‘I’m not going to do that.’ At Charles’s indignant expression, he sighed. ‘I don’t want your _money_ , Charles. I want _you_.’

‘Yeah, well you have a funny way of showing it,’ Charles snapped.

‘Hey, don’t you turn this back on me,’ Logan growled, feeling his own temper flare up despite himself. ‘What happened between you and Lehnsherr has nothing to do with me! I told you to ditch that asshole right from the start. S’not my fault that you were too busy making cow eyes at him to listen.’

‘Strange,’ Charles said coldly, folding his arms across his chest. ‘Anyone would think that you were trying to drive me away instead of trying to recruit me, the way you are speaking.’

‘You used to like the way I talked.’

‘ _Used to_ being the operative words there.’

They glared at each other.

‘Look,’ Charles said eventually, his tone becoming more careful. ‘I know you think that I’m in some kind of … depressive state or something—’

Logan snorted. ‘You denying it?’ he challenged.

‘Oh for f– I’m _fine_!’ Charles snapped, irritated. ‘And I don’t need _you_ coming in here and pretending to be some kind of white knight just because you don’t like what you see.’

‘Huh,’ Logan almost looked amused by that. ‘No one’s ever accused me of being a white knight before.’

‘That’s because you’re a bloody pain in the arse,’ Charles muttered, scowling at him.

‘Maybe that’s what you need right now,’ Logan said evenly.

‘Oh fuck off, Logan,’ Charles snapped, irritated. ‘And take that damn robot with you. I really don’t have time for this.’

‘Funny,’ Logan eyed him narrowly. ‘Time seems to be just about the only thing you got.’

‘And what?’ Charles sneered, rounding on him. ‘You’re worried that I spend all that time I have moping over you? Over Erik?’ He let out a harsh laugh. ‘Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but you’re wrong – I _don’t_ , and I am _not_ depressed.’

Logan narrowed his eyes. ‘You know what?’ he said bluntly, folding his arms over his chest. ‘You’re right. You’re not depressed. You’re _bored_.’

Charles stared at him. ‘ _What?_ ’ he demanded.

‘You heard me,’ Logan pressed on, raising his chin. ‘You’re _bored_ , Chuck. Here you are, stuck in this goddamn house all by yourself with nothing to do … Face it, bub, you’re bored. You’re bored out of your goddamn mind.’

‘I am _not_ bored,’ Charles snapped, looking immensely irritated. ‘And you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.’

‘Okay,’ Logan held his hands up as if in surrender. ‘So you’re not bored. I get it. You’re not bored and you’re not depressed.’ He paused. ‘So then – if you aren’t either of those things – then what the fuck are you even doing here, Chuck?’

Charles opened his mouth to answer him vehemently. Then he abruptly snapped it shut. He was silent for a minute. Then he groaned. ‘God damn you, Logan.’

Logan smirked. ‘Got you there, did I?’

‘You’re an ass,’ Charles muttered, grumpily rubbing at his eyes. ‘You’re a complete ass and I hate you.’ He sighed and lifted his face. ‘Fine,’ he said flatly. ‘Maybe I have been caught up in a little … self-pity for a while.’ He ignored Logan’s raised eyebrow. ‘But even so, the point still stands – I can’t help you.’

Logan sighed. ‘Come on, Chuck,’ he said, exasperated. ‘This will be good for you. I know it will.’

Charles shook his head. ‘It’s not that,’ he said firmly. ‘Maybe you’re right, maybe I have been bored and missing robotics, but this … Even if I could help you – Logan, I don’t think I would want to.’ He bit his lip and looked away. ‘Not if you want to enter Wolverine in the Genosha Championships.’

Logan raised an eyebrow in surprise. ‘You got something against robot fights now, Chuck?’

‘Yes,’ Charles said bluntly, turning to him with a suddenly intractable expression on is face. ‘Things have changed since you and I got out of the game, Logan. They’ve changed a _lot_. And it’s not just that there’s too much focus on money now, and not enough on creativity. It’s become _dirty_ ,’ he said, grimacing. ‘Full of sabotage and corruption and violence. It’s not about strategy or robotics or even winning anymore; it’s about greed and aggression and destruction.’ He shook his head. ‘That’s not something that I want to be a part of, my friend. And it’s not something that I want any of my creations to be a part of, either.’

Logan nodded slowly. ‘I get you,’ he said honestly. ‘Things have really been screwed up since the new administration took over. But you can’t say that the destruction bit is new to you, Charles. Things were charged enough in our day, in case you’re forgetting.’

‘Maybe they were,’ Charles admitted, shrugging, ‘but these days it’s worse. You know it is. Before the fights were about amusement and curiosity and robotic prowess. Now they exist so that violence-obsessed audiences can see two soulless machines tear each other to pieces at the hands of their creators.’ Charles shook his head, his voice hollow. ‘I never created my robots for that purpose. I created them because I loved them. The games used to be all a bit of harmless fun that happened on the side … it all used to be a lot more innocent than this. Now, though …’ 

‘Yeah,’ Logan sighed, shaking his head. ‘Now it’s all a goddamn mess.’ His eyes then met Charles’s. ‘Which is why someone needs to sort it out.’

Charles frowned. ‘And you think that person is you,’ he said sceptically.

‘No,’ Logan shook his head. ‘I think those _people_ are _us_. And that the ‘bot to do it is Wolverine.’

Charles just shook his head. ‘I’m sorry,’ he said, his tone firm but apologetic. ‘But you’ll have to count me out.’

Logan grimaced. ‘Pity, that,’ he grunted. He glanced up at Charles. ‘You sure about this, Chuck?’ he asked, his tone serious.

Charles nodded. ‘I am,’ he said firmly.

Logan sighed. ‘Pity,’ he said again. He made to turn towards the door and then hesitated for a moment. ‘Would you come and see me?’ he asked gruffly, looking down at his feet. ‘If I make it?’

Charles looked up, startled. ‘I …’ he began, caught off-guard. 

‘Not the first bouts if you don’t want to,’ Logan said hurriedly, still not meeting his eyes. ‘Just the last one. If I’m still in it. Well – _one_ of the last ones, at any rate. That’ll be the important one.’

Charles’s brow furrowed. ‘The important one,’ he repeated, frowning. ‘Why,’ he asked, suddenly suspicious. ‘Why is it important?’

Logan looked at him then. ‘Because it’s personal,’ he said darkly, his eyes going distant. ‘Because of who’ll be in the final.’ 

‘Who?’ Charles demanded, leaning forward in curiosity. ‘Not that I particularly care,’ he added hurriedly, catching himself before he could sound too enthusiastic. His denial didn’t sound terribly convincing.

Logan cocked his head. ‘Don’t you know?’ he asked curiously. ‘He’s been in the last couple o’ tournaments this past year …’

Charles shook his head. ‘I’m afraid that I don’t keep up with the sport much longer,’ he said dryly. ‘Like I said, I have been out of the game for more than a few years now. Don’t even watch it anymore.’ He shrugged. ‘I doubt any of the ‘bots I knew are even around any longer.’

‘Oh, you’d be surprised,’ Logan said darkly. 

Charles caught the tone of his voice and glanced up, frowning.

Logan cocked his eyebrow. ‘You want to know who I’m planning on going up against?’ he asked.

Charles nodded, still frowning. ‘I think you’d better tell me,’ he said quietly.

Logan met his eyes. ‘Sabretooth,’ he said, his tone grim. ‘I’m putting Wolverine up against Sabretooth.’

Charles went completely still. ‘Sabretooth?’ he repeated blankly. ‘ _Victor Creed’s_ Sabretooth? Creed – Creed is _back_?’

Logan nodded. 

There was silence.

‘Well,’ Charles said after a moment. ‘Before this I thought that you were simply deluded but now I _know_ that you are completely bloody _mental_.’

Logan winced. ‘It’s not as bad as all that,’ he protested.

Charles let out a choked laugh. ‘You want to go up against Sabretooth – bloody _Sabretooth_ – with a rusty tin can from – what? The last _century_?’

‘A bit more recent than that,’ Logan hedged.

‘A bit, huh?’ Charles repeated sceptically. ‘How much of a bit? A “few months to a year” sort of a bit?’

‘… Yeah, that sounds about right,’ Logan admitted, scratching at his chin.

‘Christ, Logan,’ Charles shook his head, looking almost bewildered. ‘What are you even thinking? You don’t stand a chance! Creed is going to _thrash_ you.’

‘Not if you help me,’ Logan said, raising his chin defiantly. ‘We can win if you help, Charles. I know it.’

‘I’m sorry,’ Charles said sadly. ‘But I can’t. Not if you’re going to – no. No. I can’t do it, Logan. I’m sorry.’

Logan shut his eyes for a brief moment and turned away. After a few minutes, he took a deep breath and turned back to face Charles. 

‘I was hoping that you’d have said yes before this,’ he said at last, sounding almost defeated. ‘But I guess things didn’t work out that way.’ He straightened up and met Charles’s eyes. ‘I know that you said no, but I reckon there’s something that you need to know before you make that decision final. It might just change your opinion.’

Charles raised an eyebrow. ‘I very much doubt that,’ he said dryly.

‘Hmm,’ Logan eyed him for a moment but did not say anything in response.

‘Well?’ Charles asked after a minute had past in which Logan still had not spoken, curious despite himself. ‘Get on with it then. What is it?’

Logan hesitated. ‘It’s … game-changing,’ he said carefully.

Charles rolled his eyes. ‘Undoubtedly,’ he said, unimpressed. ‘Now tell me what it is.’

Logan took a deep breath. ‘It’s Wolverine,’ he said slowly. He met Charles’s eyes. ‘He has an adamantium exoskeleton.’

Charles paused. He then turned himself around until he was fully facing Logan. ‘What did you just say?’ he asked, his face expressionless.

It was enough. The corner of Logan’s lips slowly spread upwards. ‘I said,’ he repeated, now with a keen, fiery glint in his eyes, ‘that Wolverine has an adamantium exoskeleton. A _full_ adamantium exoskeleton.’ To his credit he did not look overly smug.

Charles looked dazed. ‘Adamantium …’ he shook his head. ‘But – that hasn’t been used to build robots since—’

‘Since the last century?’ Logan raised an eyebrow, meeting Charles’s astonished gaze. ‘Yeah, pretty much,’ he nodded at Charles and this time his expression was most definitely smug. ‘Give or take a few months to a year.’

‘But I thought all the robots had been stripped,’ Charles protested, still unable to believe what Logan was telling him. ‘That they scrapped the old ‘bots and took away all the adamantium when they realised how rare it was.’

‘Yeah, they did that,’ Logan agreed. He shrugged. ‘Looks like Wolverine here managed to escape with his skin intact.’

Charles shook his head in wonder. ‘Adamantium,’ he repeated, his eyes wide. ‘That would mean—’ he turned to Logan. ‘Logan, that would make Wolverine—’

‘Damn near invulnerable?’ Logan smirked. ‘Damn straight.’

Charles bit his lip. ‘And … his problems,’ he said slowly, almost as if the words were being dragged out of him against his will. ‘You just want me to sort them out, is that right?’

Logan shrugged. ‘Obviously that’s the most important thing,’ he agreed. ‘But if you want to have a whack at improving him some, then I won’t stop you.’

‘So … I just fix him up,’ Charles murmured, as if to himself. ‘Just get him fight-ready and then – then you’ll leave me alone?’

Logan shrugged again. ‘If that’s what you want,’ he said neutrally.

Charles looked at him for a moment and then drew in a deep, shuddering breath. He bit his lip, holding himself very still as his interest and curiosity warred with his desire for solitude. He looked almost pained. Then, after some minutes, he clenched his hands and took in a deep breath. He closed his eyes. And then he nodded. 

‘Okay,’ he breathed. ‘Okay then.’ He opened his eyes and turned to Logan. ‘So,’ he said. ‘When do we start?’


End file.
